Tag - cookery course

There are many different activities to fill your day if you stay on Koh Tao. Most people come to dive or snorkel but you can rock climb, cliff jump, kayak, play mini golf, go 10 pin bowling, take a cookery course or even shoot your mates in the jungle playing paintball.

Recently a flying trapeze rig has been erected which means that for at least an hour you can pretend that you really have run away with the circus. Rather than being a clown or a lion tamer though you can be a powerful trapeze artist yet without a sequin in sight! Located in the popular area of Sairee and close to many bars and restaurants it’s easy to get to and fit into your plans.

The rig is full size and exactly that which is synonymous of big top shows and the basis for a Cirque du Solei performance. Just looking at the rig will give you shivers of anticipation and draw you in.

Flying Trapeze Adventures are offering hourly lessons to those thrill seekers wanting to learn this adrenaline loaded activity. Lessons last an hour, cost 950B and skilled performers from all over the world are your instructors. They teach you techniques that will have you flying through the air and performing tricks in no time.

Instruction starts with a demonstration of a position called a knee hang. The flyer hops off a 10m high pedestal holding onto the fly bar and once at the top of the swing, they hook their legs around the bar, let go with their hands and fly back to the top of the swing dangling from their knees. You’ll be surprised, it’s easier than it looks and really nothing to do with strength but all about timing.

Hit the right beat and the tricks are a simply matter of gravity, or lack of it, because at the top of your swing you are weightless making it simple to master the techniques. Of course you have someone shouting instructions to you while flying but harnessing the laws of physics is up to you!

Your first attempt of this is on the practice bar suspended just over 1 meter high, where you are able with the assistance of your instructors, to have a go at getting this position statically, from there you move up. Ascending, up the ladder, to the pedestal, wearing your safety belt can be a vertigo work out in itself and once there you certainly see life differently. You are well above tree height and look down on the roofs of the surrounding buildings and your mates suddenly look hobbit sized.

Safety lines are attached as you chalk up your hands before assuming your pre-flight position. Leaning forward over the catch net with your arms straight and hips forward is akin to teetering dangerously on the edge of a cliff. This suspension last seconds before you are instructed to fly. Sailing through the air is such a rush that it’s very easy to forget that you are supposed to be trying to get into position, but once remembered, flying upside down is higher octane. You get to practice this a few times, along with a back-flip dismount from the bar which is far easier than it sounds and looks wicked.

Nail it and then you are up for a catch.

One of your instructors will fly from the bar you were just using and get some incredible height from the swing. He’ll drop to the net and use the bounce to grab on to the second trapeze. With some cool-cat moves he’ll slide onto the bar which is called the catchers trap and then time his swing to match yours. You’ll meet mid-air at the top of your swings and he’ll catch you by the wrists and you’ll sail together to the end of the rig. This is the pinnacle of achievement and an awesome feeling that will have you buzzing for days and wanting more.

Trapeze has become popular all over the world with the biggest school located in New York and those Sex and the City addicts may remember a certain episode where Carrie was finding it difficult to let go. Rigs have been part of summer camps and large resorts for some time but the one on Koh Tao is one of the few independent schools and is open to everyone with a little bit of dare-devil in them.

It’s a great activity if you happen to find yourself at a loose end while your mates are off learning to dive and a better kick start to a night out than a vodka-red bull. Beware though as the rush is addictive, the more you fly the more you want to fly and learn more tricks. Flying Trapeze Adventures know this and have a frequent flyer program so that you can develop your skills and learn new tricks.

Your mates will certainly be amazed when they return from diving and a team of videographers are on hand to capture your style for eternity. It’s certainly a video to send home to scare the pants off mum!

If you are the type of thrill seeker who would love to bungee jump or freefall then this is certainly for you but it easier on the budget, lasts longer and has way more style.

Flying Trapeze Adventures is located on the north side of Sairee Beach. It is situated right next to Oasis Pool Bar, directly behind Choppers Pub and Grill. There are two main entrances to Flying Trapeze Adventures, one from the beach front path opposite Silver Sands Resort and the other from Sairee Main road, just next to Sairee Plaza.